Shock-absorbing device.



0. H. FOSTER.

SHOCK ABSORBING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1911. 1,139,724.Patented M21129, 1915.

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0.11. POSTER. SHOCK ABSORBING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1911.

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CI AUD H. FOSTER, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SHOGK-ABSORBING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

1 Patented Mar. 9, 1915.,

Application filed July 21, 1911. Serial No. 639,702.

To all whom it may concern j Be it known that I, CLAUD H. Fos'rnn, acitizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new ,and usefulImprovement in Shock-Absorbing Devices, of which-the "following is afull, clear, 'and' exact description, reference being had totheaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to shock absorbing devices, such as areinterposed between the axles and bodies'of vehicles (as well as betweenother relatively' movable members) for the purpose of reducing theextent of vibration between these relatively movable members, wherebyinjury to the springs and excessive and injurious vibration of thesprings and the connected members are prevented. i

The invention has for one ,of'its objects the production of, a device ofthis character which is extremely simple 'in construction and efficientin operation,'whicl1 may be easily assembled and conveniently applied toand removed from the partswith which it may be associated, and whichwill successfully withstand all ordinary incidents of use. 1

Still further and more generally speaking, the invention may be definedas consisting of the combinations of elements embodied in the annexedclaims and illustrated, in two modifications, in the drawing formingpart hereof Wherein-' Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a part ofa vehicle frame having my invention applied thereto, the axle beingshown in section; Fig. 2 represents an enlarged sectional view of oneform of the shock absorbing device; Fig. 3 a :view in side elevation ofsaid device, the wall of the inclosing casing being broken away; Fig. 4:a sectional detail corresponding to the line -1-4: of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 anelevation of the spring and strap disconnected from the vehicle, thesprin being shown as opened up ;Fig. 6 a simi ar view of a modified formof the invention shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 7 a view similar to Fig. 1,showing the invention applied to an underhung; frame.

The device consists essentially of a spiral or convolutespring, one endof which is operatively connected to one of the parts with which it isassociated and the other end of which is operatively connected to theother part, the convolutions of the spring being given a particulararrangement whereby, upon any movement tending to separate the connectedparts, a dragging frictional "resistancewill occur between the outermostconvolutions, the resistance increasing as the parts are separatedfarther and the force or shock tending to close or contract the springbeing transmitted to a relatively open and cushioning central portionthereof. In theconstruction shown in the first five figures of thedrawings, the spring is made of two sections, namely; an inner sectioncomprising several convolutions of stifi metal and an outer sectioncomprising a plurality of convolutions of relatively light, yielding.metal, preferably spring metal.

lnterposed between the convolutions of this outer section as well asbetween theouterr most'convolutions of the inner section and theinnermost convolution of the outer secti on thereis a strap orhand offriction material which, being gripped between the adjacent convolutionsof. the spring, exerts a dragging friction opposing the closing of thespring through the separation of the parts connected thereto. With thesprin constructed as thus illustrated and describe it will be apparentthat anymovement tending to close or-contract the spring will beresisted by the increasing friction between the outer convolutions ofthe spring. There is thus produced a yielding resistance to theseparation of the parts with which the spring may be associated, whichyielding resistance is transmitted gradually and progressively to thecentral open portion of the spring, with the result that such centralportion is protected against the efi'ects of sudden shocks and .isenabled to absorb the shocks or strains applied to the outer portion ofthe spring without injury or rupture.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, a device constructed in accordance with myinvention is shown as applied to the axle and body of a vehicle for thepurpose of preventing violent "separation of these members on rebound,thereby preventing the breaking of the vehicle spring and insuring easeand comfort of riding. In the drawing, 1 denotes [one of the side framesof the vehicle body, which may be of any ordinary construction, achannel beam being shown.

2 denotes the axle and, 3 one of the springs, the form illustrated beingan elliptic spring having its lower section connected to the axle bymeans of clips 4 in the I usual manner and having its upper sectionconnected to the frame 1, as by meansof bolts 5. v

6 denotes generally a spiral or convolute spring interposed between thevehicle frame and axle. en connected to the vehicle members the innerconvolutions of the spring are generally under compression but thecentral portion of the spring is open, as shown at 7. The inner Section-7 of the spring is of relatively stifl and strong metal and hasconnected to its outer end portion the inner end 8 of the outer section8, said sections being conveniently united by means of rivets 9. Withinthe convolutions of the outer spring section there is located a flexiblestrap or band 10 of'friction' material, such as leather or belting, theinner end of this band being conveniently secured in place by the rivets9. At their outer ends, the outer section and the band or strap 10 aresecured together. A convenient manner of so securing them is by bendingthe end portion of the outer spring section back upon itself, as shownat 11, and riveting the end of the band or strap between'this end andthe body of the outer spring section. The inner end of the inner springsection 7* is secured to a stud 13, which may be conveniently securedvto the side frame 1. As shown more particularly in Figs, 3 and 4:, thestud may be attached to the frame by means of anangular extension 14having an elongated slot 15 therein for the reception of one of theflanges 1 of the frame 1, the set screw 16 being provided for clampingthe said extension to the flange. For the purpose of securing the innerend of the spring to the stud, a screw 17 may be employed, extendingthrough the inner end of the spring section 7 andinto the body of thestud.

Before being subjected to any strain, the

compound spring will tend to assume the position shown in Fig. 5, theresiliency of the light outer section tending to open up the outerconvolutions of the spring and keep the friction material 10 out ofcontact with the adjacent inner convolutions. In applying the device toa vehicle, however, the spring is generally placed under compression,the compression being generally proportional to the movement of thevehicle spring from its normal position to its fully deflected orelongated-position. The flexible cable, 18 (which is connected to theloop formed at the outer end of the section 8*) should generally bedrawn down a distance of several inches against the action of, thespring (after the outer convolutions are brought into gripping contact)before connecting the cable to the axle. By so connecting the spring,the latter will always be under compression and-will take up the slackof the flexible connection or cable 18 :28 carried by whenever thevspring 3 is elongated or de= flected. Furthermore, under all normal endof the cable being secured to the body thereof, as by means of a clip20.

- For the purpose of protecting the parts from dust, the spring and thecentral stud may be inclosed within a box 21 of sheet metal, the boxbeing provided with anopening 22 for the cabl In Fig. 6 there is shownamodification of my invention wherein the strap or band 10 is connecteddirectly to the outer end of the spring 7, as by means of the rivets 9.

en so constructed, several turns of the band 10 will be taken around theoutermost convolution of the spring 7 the turns being in contact and, infact, in gripping engagement with each other. The outermost end of thestrap 10 is provided with a sheet metal loop 23, similar to thatprovided at the end of the outer spring section in the precedingmodification, the cable 24 being connected to said loop.

In both modifications of the invention there is provided a spring havinga relatively open center, with a flexible device, such as a strap,having. several convolutions around the central spring, whichconvolutions serve to frictionally retard the contraction of the centralspring through the force applied to the strap to contract the spring.

While I have shown my device applied to a vehicle, it will be apparentthat it may be applied to other relatively movable parts for applying afriction brake action to resist or prevent excessive movement betweensuch parts. In Fig. 7 of the drawing I have shown my invention appliedto an underhung frame and axis. In this application of my invention, 25denotes the axle, 26 the spring and 27 the underhung frame of a vehicle.

The cable 18 is shown as connected to the axle and the stud 13 to an armthe frame and projecting above the axle. shock absorbing device,rebounding action of the Having thus described I claim is: v.

1. The combination, with a pair of relatively movable members, of ashock absorbing device comprising a spiral-spring having its innerportion operatively connected with one of suchmembers, a flexiblefriction it will oppose the spring 26. my invention, what By thusconnecting the other member.

. inner portion-o material havm band oper'atively connected to the outerend of said spring and wrapped spirally around the spring a plurality oftimes, and means connecting said band and the other member..

2. The combination, with a pair of relatively movable members, of ashock absorbing device comprising a spiral spring the inner portion ofwhich is of relatively still metal and the outer portion of which is ofrelatively yielding metal, friction material interposed betweenconvolutions of the outer spring section, means connecting the inner endof the inner spring section with one of the members, and a connectionbetween the outer portion of the outer section and the 3. Thecombination, with a pair of relatively movable members, of a shockabsorbing device comprising a spiral spring the inner portion of whichis of relatively stiflf material having convolutions spaced apart andthe outer portion of which is of relatively yielding material, meansconnecting the inner end of the spring with one of the members, frictionmaterial interposed between the outermost convolutions of the spring, ofthe spring with the other member.

4. The combination, with a pair of relatively movable members, of ashock absorbing device com rising a spiral spring the which is'ofrelatively still its inner convolutions spaced apart an the outerportion of which is of relatively yielding material, means connectingthe inner end of "the spring with member.

. ing a relatively open one of the members, and means connecting theouter end of the spring with the other with a pair of relatively movablemembers, of ashock'absorbing device comprising a spiral s ringhavcentral portion, means 5. The combination,

connecting the inner one of the members, and a flexible device connectedto said spring and wrapped spirally around the same aplurality oftimesIand operativcly connected to the other mem- 3 i 'with one of theaforesaid members,

and means connecting the outer end end of the spring to 6. Thecombination, with a air of rela tively movable members, of a s ockabsorbing device comprising a spiral spring having its inner portionoperatively connected a strip of yielding metal secured to the outer endof said spring and extending around said spring a plurality of times,

and a connection between said yielding strip and the other member.

' 7. The combination, with a pair of relatively movable members, ofashock absorbing device comprising a spiral spring the out of engagement,a strip of yielding metal connected wi h the outer end of said spring, aflexible band also connected to the outer end of said spring and beingarranged within the yielding metal strip, band being wrapped around saidspring, and means flexibly connecting said strip and said band to theother member.

8. The combination, with a pair of relatively movable members, of ashock absorbing device comprising a spiral spring the inner-convolutionswhereof are normally out of engagement, a compound strip of yieldingmetal and friction material connected to the outer .end of the springand wrapped around thespring a plurality of times, and a cableconnecting the outer end of-the compound strip to the other member.

9. The combination, with a vehicle frame and'axle, of a shock absorbingdevice comprising a spiral spring the inner portion whereof 'is ofrelatively stifi material having its convolutions normally out ofengagement and the outer portion whereof is of relatively yieldingmaterial, means connecting one end of the sprin to the vehicle axle, andmeans connecting t e other end of the inner convolutions whereof arenormallysaid strip and I spring to the frame at a point above the axle.v

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my' a signature in'the presenceof two witnesses.

